Constitution and Bylaws

We declare and establish this constitution for the preservation and security of the principles of our faith, and that this body may be governed in an orderly manner. This constitution seeks to preserve the liberties of each individual member of this church and the freedom of action of this body in its relation to other churches.

Article I. Name

This body shall be known as Emmanuel Baptist Church, Rochester, Minnesota, a religious corporation.

Article II. Purpose and Objectives

Believing that Christ is the head of the Church, we, being a body of baptized believers, seek through love to glorify God.

We endeavor

To worship together regularly.
To proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in our community and world and seek actively to bring all people to a personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
To share our lives together in Christian fellowship.
To help believers grow to Christian maturity, discover their gifts for service and experience the blessings God promises.
To minister to the needs of all people, especially to those in the Church family.
To stand for truth, justice, freedom and compassion in the affairs of our community and world, until Christ returns.

Article III. Statement of Faith

The Holy Bible is the basis of our faith. The Church subscribes to the doctrinal statement of the “Baptist Faith and Message” as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000. We will give preference to curriculum materials provided by the Southern Baptist Agencies for our teachings.

Article IV. Government

The government of this church is vested in its membership under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. It is subject to the control of no other body, but it recognizes and sustains the obligations of mutual counsel and cooperation which are common among Baptist churches. This church shall cooperate with the Pioneer Baptist Association, the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention, and with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Article V. Amendment Procedure

Four weeks before voting on an amendment to this constitution, the proposed amendment will be posted in the church and mailed to every resident family. For the purpose of amending this constitution, a quorum will consist of 1/3 of the resident membership. Amendments to the constitution shall be made by approval of 2/3 members present.

By-Laws

Article I. Membership

Section 1. Candidacy

Individuals may offer themselves as candidates for membership in this church. All such candidates shall be presented to the Church at any regular worship service for membership in any of the following ways:

By a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and followed by baptism by immersion.
By promise of a letter of dismission and recommendation from another Baptist church.
By statement of a previous profession of faith and believer’s baptism by immersion, or in consequence of any peculiar circumstance whereby a regular letter of dismission and recommendation is not obtainable.
Christians who have been baptized by immersion and believe they were converted before baptism and accept our statement of faith may be received upon their statement.

New church members will be expected to participate in the Church’s new member orientation plan as held.

Section 2. Voting Rights of Membership

Every active member of the Church, including members of its mission, is entitled to vote at all elections and upon all questions submitted to the Church in regular or special business meetings provided the member is present.

Section 3. Duties

Members are expected to be faithful in all the duties essential to the Christian life, to attend habitually the services of this church, to give regularly for its support and its causes, and to share in its organized work.

Section 4. Termination

Membership shall be terminated in the following ways: (1) by death, (2) transfer of membership to another Baptist church, (3) by erasure when a member joins another church, (4) upon request of member, and (5) exclusion by action of the church.

Letters of dismission to other churches may be voted upon at any regular meeting of the Church.

Section 5. Inactive Roll

It shall be the duty of all members removing from the vicinity of this church to, as soon as possible, unite with another church of the same faith and order, thus requesting dismission from this church. Should this not be immediately practicable, they are to furnish their names and places of residence to the Church within a year. The clerk, at the next regular business meeting, shall ask that their names be removed from the active church roll and placed on an inactive roll, such action subject to a vote of the Church.
Inactive roll: Any member who voluntarily remains wholly inactive in relation to the church obligations for a period of two years shall be removed from the roll of active members and cease to be counted as a member unless there is submitted to the elders a reason which adequately justifies such inactivity. This does not apply to individuals who are unable to attend because of sickness or other conditions beyond their control. All names so removed from the active roll shall be carried on an “Inactive Members Roll.” In all membership reports, those on the inactive roll shall be omitted. Before removing the names of inactive members from the roll of active members, they shall be listed in the official weekly publication of the Church or communicated with by letter in order that no injustice shall be done to any member of the Church.

Article II. Covenant

Believing in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and on the profession of our faith having been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God and this Assembly, enter into this covenant with one another, as one in the body of Christ.

In relation to each other, we agree: to respect and accept in the spirit of Christ and in Christian fellowship, differences of opinion in all matters pertaining to church affairs and to our individual lives; to be ready always to forgive others their trespasses in the spirit with which God continually forgives our trespasses; to watch over one another in prayer; and to aid one another in times of distress and illness.

Believing that our call to be members of the Church is a call to be living witnesses of God in the world, we commit our lives and destinies to Christ. Wherever people are separated by barriers of hostility and distrust, we shall be ministers of God’s reconciling love. As we pledge our support to the work of our missionaries throughout the world, we commit ourselves to the mission to which God calls us.

We shall seek to be obedient to Christ in our daily living. In our homes, in our labor, and in our leisure we shall strive for attitudes and actions which will reflect God’s Spirit working through us. Acknowledging our human frailties and ever seeking forgiveness, we confess our need of the Holy Spirit. We shall regard our bodies as the residence of the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, we shall seek to refrain from any practices detrimental to our health and influence, and strive to live a transformed life consistent with Biblical principles in the midst of this world.

When we find it no longer possible to participate in the fellowship of this church, we will unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

Article III. General Church Officers

Section 1. Pastor

The pastor is responsible for leading the Church in functioning as a New Testament church. The pastor will lead the congregation, the organizations, and the Church staff in performing their tasks. A major concern of the pastor is to perform pastoral responsibilities. The pastor is the leader of worship, proclamation, education, and pastoral ministries. He is an ex officio member of all committees.

A pastor shall be chosen and called by the Church whenever a vacancy occurs. A representative Pastor Search Committee shall be nominated by the elders and elected by the Church to seek out a suitable pastor. Their recommendation will constitute a nomination though any member has the privilege of making other nominations according to the policy established by the Church. The committee shall bring to the consideration of the Church only one person at a time. The selection shall proceed in the following order:

1st Sunday – Public notice given and notice mailed to all church families.
2nd Sunday – Public notice given.
3rd Sunday – Coming in view of a call.
4th Sunday – Voting after morning services.

Election shall be by secret ballot, an affirmative vote of three-fourths of those present and voting being necessary for a choice. The pastor, thus elected, shall serve until the relationship is terminated by his or the Church’s request.

The pastor may be dismissed at a special business meeting with written notice thereof given two weeks previous to the meeting. A majority vote of those present and voting shall be required for the pastor’s dismissal. The vote will be taken by secret ballot. Prior to the calling of this business meeting, the elders shall give the pastor the opportunity to resign voluntarily. The pastor shall give or be given at least one month’s notice at the time of terminating his responsibilities as pastor.

Section 2. Church Staff

This church shall call or employ such paid staff members as the Church shall need. A job description shall be written when the need for staff members is determined. Vocational and bivocational staff members other than the pastor shall be recommended to the Church by the personnel committee and employed by church action. The personnel committee shall have the ability of dismissal of any non-professional person with two weeks’ notice given or two weeks pay in lieu of notice. Any action concerning a professional staff member either vocational or bivocational would be brought before the Church with prior notice.

Any workers paid by the Church shall likewise be recommended to the Church by a personnel committee and employed by church action.

Section 3. Elders

1) Purpose

In accordance with the meaning of the work and the practice of the New Testament, elders are the spiritual leaders of the Church. The task of the elder is to teach and preach the Word, protect the Church from false teachers and teachings, exhort and admonish the Church in sound doctrine, judge doctrinal issues, and shepherd the Church in love through pastoral ministry. The elders also lead the Church in fulfilling its vision by providing direction, strategy, long and short range planning and evaluation for the total church ministry and mission, and by guiding the educational and discipleship ministries.

For purposes of the church’s faith, doctrine, practice, policy, and discipline, the elders are the church’s final interpretive authority on the Bible’s meaning and application. Any proposed change to their decisions must follow the same procedures as listed in the Church Constitution, Article V. Amendment Procedure.

2) Qualifications

Elders shall meet the scriptural requirements found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9, and other pertinent sections of the Bible.
Elders shall be faithful to their church responsibilities, regular in attendance at the services of the Church and support and participate in the adopted program of the Church.
Elders shall recognize the scriptural plan of stewardship and practice tithing.
Elders shall be male members of the Church who have demonstrated over an extended period of time while serving in the Church that they meet the requirements set forth in Scripture. Suggested elder guidelines are: members of the Church for more than two years (this does not apply to the pastor and other professional staff); be active and mature Christians for several years; and be over 30 years of age before being elected.

3) Term of Service

Elders, other than the pastor, shall serve on a rotation basis for terms of three years. Each year the terms of about one-third of the elders shall expire and an election shall be held to fill the vacancies. The Church may hold an election at any time to fill the unexpired term of an elder who cannot or chooses not to complete his term. An elder may serve two consecutive full or partial terms but then shall not be eligible for reelection until the lapse of at least one year.

There is no obligation to constitute as an elder a person who comes to the Church from another church where they served as elder or a similar position.

An elder may not serve as a deacon at the same time.

4) Election

The pastor is a member of the elders. Other qualifying staff members may be elders if selected by the Church.
The elders will be comprised of not less than three men other than staff members, and the number of non-staff elders must be greater than the number of elders who are staff members.
As the need for additional elders occurs, the elders will consider the number of elders needed and open nominations from the Church for that number.
A qualification process will begin with the person receiving the highest number of nominations and continue until the number of nominees to fill the positions is found. Serving elders will contact the nominees to determine eligibility and willingness to serve. Elders will restrict these contacts to the minimum number of nominees needed to fill the positions. Nominees who are willing and are found eligible will then meet with the serving elders for further examination. The qualified candidates discovered through this process will be presented to the Church to be considered for election by secret ballot. Each candidate will receive a “yes” or “no” vote. A two-thirds or greater majority of those voting will be required to elect an elder.
Those individuals who have not been ordained as pastor or elder will be ordained as an elder by the Church as soon as possible following their election.

5) Method of Procedure

The elders shall be organized as a council of equals. They shall select a chair from their membership, and may organize themselves as their wisdom may direct for efficiency in service.
The elders shall meet when required, but at least once every three months. Minutes of the meeting shall be made available to the Church, although sensitive matters may be omitted from them. A quorum for meetings will be half of the serving elders.
The elders shall maintain relationship to the membership to make sure that spiritual needs of the membership are met, and to mold consensus for direction and decisions.
The elders shall maintain relationship to the deacons to make sure that each group is able to function according to the purposes outlined in these By-Laws, and that the church organization aligns with the Church’s vision and direction.
Any Church member may attend elder meetings to observe and may speak if invited, but may be excluded when the elders discuss sensitive matters.
The elders can approve expenditures beyond the approved budget but not to exceed 20% or $500.00 for a given line item – whichever is greater.
The elders can approve non-budget expenditures up to $1,000.00.
The elders shall support and encourage each other and non-elder professional staff, and shall advise, mentor and if need be correct them.
The elders lead in the areas listed under their purpose and the following:
1. Conflict resolution by being mediators and by maintaining procedures and guidelines for resolution of conflicts and disruptions within the Church.
2. Church discipline by maintaining procedures and guidelines for disciplinary actions involving Church members and staff. The procedures will include working with the staff, church officers, and committees as appropriate, and will follow scriptural guidelines such as those given by our Lord in Matthew 18:15-17.
3. Congregational counseling.
4. Elder and deacon training and development.
5. Appoint replacements for committee and program positions that become vacant after the Nominating Committee disbands.

6) Pulpit Supply

The elders will be responsible to support the pastor in teaching the Word from the pulpit by giving guidance for needed teaching and offering occasional pulpit supply.

In case of absence or inability of the pastor, subject to advice from and conference with him, the elders will provide for pulpit supplies. In any period when the Church is without a pastor they will fill the need for temporary preaching and/or be responsible to find interim pulpit supply.

7) Discipline

Elders are subject to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ for the spiritual leadership of the Church. In the event that an elder no longer meets the qualifications and responsibilities of the office he will be removed from his position upon Church approval. The guidelines found in 1 Timothy 5:19-20 and other pertinent sections of the Bible will be followed. Accusations and complaints against elders shall be handled by the elders whenever possible, but if having elders handle the situation lacks propriety or appears to result in a conflict of interest, then a group approved by the Church will investigate and make recommendations to the Church.

Section 4. Deacons

1) Purpose

In accordance with the meaning of the work and the practice of the New Testament, deacons are to be servants of the Church. The task of the deacon is to administer and coordinate the practical and administrative aspects of the Church in order to free the elders and staff to perform their pastoral and spiritual leadership tasks.

2) Qualifications

Deacons shall meet the scriptural requirements found in Acts 6:1-8, 1 Timothy 3:8-13, and other pertinent sections of the Bible.
Deacons shall be faithful to their church responsibilities, regular in attendance at the services of the Church and support and participate in the adopted program of the Church.
Deacons are expected to recognize the scriptural plan of stewardship and practice tithing.
Deacons shall be members of the Church for one year before being elected.

3) Term of Service

Deacons shall serve on a rotation basis for terms of three years. Each year the terms of about one-third of the deacons shall expire and an election shall be held to fill the vacancies. The Church may hold an election at any time to fill the unexpired term of a deacon who cannot or chooses not to complete the term. After serving a full term or more than two years of a full term a deacon shall not be eligible for reelection until the lapse of at least one year. There is no obligation to constitute as an active deacon a person who comes to the Church from another church where they served as deacon.

4) Election

As the need for additional deacons occurs, the deacons will consider the number of deacons needed and open nominations from the Church for that number.
A qualification process will begin with the person receiving the highest number of nominations and continue until the number of nominees to fill the positions is found. From those nominated, an elder and at least one active deacon will contact the nominees to determine eligibility and willingness to serve. They will restrict these contacts to the minimum number of nominees required to fill the positions. Nominees who are willing and are found eligible will then meet with the elders and deacons for further examination.
The qualified candidates discovered through this process will be presented to the Church to be considered for election. Each candidate will receive a “yes” or “no” vote by secret ballot. A two-thirds or greater majority of those voting will be required to elect a deacon.
Those individuals who require ordination will be ordained by the church as soon as possible following their election.

5) Method of Procedure

The deacons shall be organized as a unit for the consideration of all larger problems and general policies and shall meet as required, but at least once every three months. Meeting minutes shall be made available to the Church, although sensitive matters may be omitted from them. A quorum for meetings will be half of the serving deacons.
They will select a chair from their membership and may organize themselves as their wisdom may direct for efficiency in service.
Any Church member may attend deacon meetings to observe and may speak if invited, but may be excluded when the deacons discuss sensitive matters.
Deacons will make sure the administrative tasks of the Church are fulfilled either by doing the work themselves or by coordination and supervision of the committee and administrative structures of the Church. This includes:
1. Approve changes to any job description (other than those of the pastor and professional staff), procedure of committees, or positions not otherwise specified in the Constitution or Bylaws.
2. Hold the committees accountable to perform their duties, file minutes of meetings, and coordinate as needed with other committees.
3. Train and develop committee members.
4. At least yearly evaluate the effectiveness of the Church organization and recommend or make changes as appropriate.
Support the elders and work with them to determine any changes that need to be made to the administrative organization of the Church to better fulfill the Church vision.
Maintain a Church operation manual, or consolidated set of documents, that contains the Church’s approved operating policies and procedures, committee responsibilities and procedures, staff job descriptions, financial procedures, and other operational items approved in Church business meetings. The manual shall be kept in the church office and made readily available for use by any member of the Church.
Administer the benevolence ministry of the Church.
Assist the elders as requested in meeting the practical corporate and individual needs within the Church.

6) Discipline

Deacons are subject to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ for their service to the Church. In the event that a deacon no longer meets the qualifications and responsibilities of the office, he will be removed from his position upon Church approval. The elders will handle any accusations or complaints against deacons and make recommendations to the Church.

Section 5. Moderator

The moderator shall be the pastor. In the absence of the pastor, the chairman of the deacons shall preside; or in the absence of both, the clerk shall call the Church to order and a moderator pro tem shall be elected.

Section 6. Clerk

The Church shall elect annually a clerk who shall keep in a suitable book a record of all the actions of the Church, except as other wise herein provided. The clerk is responsible for keeping a register of the name of the members with dates of admission, dismission, or death, together with a record of baptisms. Upon application for membership by letter, the clerk shall request the letter from the designated church. The clerk shall issue letters of dismission voted by the Church and also shall keep on file written official reports and give legal notice of all meetings where such notice is necessary, as indicated by these Bylaws. All church records are church property and should be filed in the church office. The clerk shall fill out the annual church letter to the association.

Section 7. Treasurer

The Church shall elect annually a church treasurer. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to keep at all times an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements. All funds received for denominational or other causes shall be remitted at least monthly by check. Payment of bills for local work and expenses shall be made promptly by check upon receipt of bills approved by the treasurer. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to render to the Church at each regular business meeting an itemized report of the receipts and disbursements for the preceding month. The treasurer’s report shall be audited by an Auditing Committee or public accountant when the Church requests. The treasurer will be bonded for an amount commensurate with church finances. All books, records, and accounts kept by the treasurer shall be considered the property of the Church. The books shall be open to inspection for any member of the Church at any time. Upon rendering the annual account at the end of the each fiscal year, and its acceptance and approval by the Church, the records shall be delivered by the treasurer to the church clerk, who shall see that the account is kept and preserved as a part of the permanent records of the Church.

Section 8. Assistant Treasurer

The assistant treasurer shall be elected by the Church annually. The assistant treasurer shall receive the empty collection envelopes after the money has been removed and counted and shall give donors individual credit. The assistant treasurer shall be responsible for preparing and distributing at least annually records of contributions to all contributing members, and to non-member contributors as required.

Section 9. Trustees

Three trustees elected by the Church will hold in trust the church property. They shall have no power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease or transfer any property without a specific vote of the Church authorizing each action. It shall be the function of the trustees to affix their signatures to legal documents involving the sale, mortgaging, insuring, or purchase or rental of property or other legal documents where the signatures of trustees are required. Trustees shall serve on a rotating basis, with one new trustee being elected each year. In case of death, resignation, removal, or incapacity to serve, the Church shall elect a member to fill the unexpired term.

Article IV. Committees and Coordinating Groups

Section 1. General Guidelines for Church Committees

Committee job descriptions, approved by the deacons, serve as the primary guide for each committee’s work; the Church reserves the right, however, to assign other responsibilities to any committee as deemed appropriate.
All members of permanent church committees will be elected by the Church.
Selection of committee chairpersons will be by recommendation of the Nominating Committee and election by the Church. As much as possible, chairpersons will be determined prior to the enlistment of other members of the committee, consulted about potential members, and allowed to personally enlist those the Nominating Committee selects for recommendation. See Article IV, Section 3 for a description of the Nominating Committee.
All committees will keep adequate records of meetings and activities; a quarterly written report will be submitted to the deacons.
Annually, before the October business meeting, each committee will review its job description and recommend any improvements to the deacons for adoption.
All committees should work closely with the deacons and Church staff, especially in reference to calendar coordination with other church activities, to assure a united and balanced church program. However, all committees are individually responsible to the Church for their work.
All committees preparing budget recommendations will submit them to the Stewardship Committee for consideration, but since committees are responsible to the Church individually, they are not restricted from requesting changes in the budget when it is presented to the Church for adoption.
A chairperson can serve a maximum of three consecutive years. They can then remain on the committee but cannot serve as chairperson for a full year.

Section 2. Special Committees

Special committees may be elected by the Church as deemed necessary to carry on the activities of the Church. They shall serve as long as its necessary to carry out their particular function.

Section 3. Nominating Committee

1) Purpose:

The committee will bring recommendations to the Church of members that have agreed to fill offices and committees as noted in the Bylaws and Committee Handbook. These committees and offices will run from September through August or as noted in the Bylaws.

2) Membership:

The elders will come up with a list of potential members (those that agree to be on the Nominating Committee, if elected)
The list of potential members will be presented to the Church for approval at the April Business meeting
Once the members are approved by the Church, the members will select a Chair from among themselves to accomplish the task before them

3) Responsibilities:

The committee will find committee chairs, as much as possible, before finding other members of the committee. This will allow the Chair to be consulted about potential members and allowed to personally enlist those the Nominating Committee selects for recommendation
Bring before the Church, at the July Business meeting, the list of those that are being recommended to fill the offices and committees of the Church

4) Term of Work:

The Nominating Committee is expected to fulfill its responsibilities by the July Business meeting and will be dismissed when finished, or when their report is accepted as complete.

Article V. Program Organizations

Section 1. Sunday School

The Sunday School shall be divided into departments and classes as needed for all ages and conducted under the direction of the Sunday School Director for the study of God’s Word and for outreach toward new members. All teachers and officers shall be members of this church.

The Sunday School Director shall be elected upon nomination by the Nominating Committee. The teachers shall be elected by the Church upon recommendation of the director through the Nominating Committee.

Section 2. Church Training

There shall be Church Training for all ages of the Church. The Church Training leaders and workers shall be members of this church and shall be elected by the Church upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee.

Article VI. Ordinances

Section 1. Baptism

A person who has received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord by personal faith, who professes Him publicly at any worship service, and who indicates a commitment to follow Christ as Lord, shall be received for baptism.

Baptism shall be by immersion in water.
Baptism shall be administered by the pastor or whomever the Church shall authorize.
Baptism shall be administered as an act of worship during any worship service.

Section 2. The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby baptized believers, through partaking of the bread and fruit of the vine, commemorate the death of Jesus Christ and anticipate His second coming.

The Lord’s Supper shall be observed on the first Sunday of each quarter or at such other time as the pastor and/or the Church may determine.
The pastor and deacons shall be responsible for the administration of the Lord’s Supper.
The deacons shall be responsible for the preparation of the Lord’s Supper.

Article VII. Church Meetings

Section 1. Worship Services

The Church shall meet regularly each Sunday morning and Wednesday evening for preaching, instruction, evangelism, and for the worship of Almighty God. These meetings will be open for the entire membership of the Church and for all people and shall be conducted under the direction of the pastor.

Section 2. Special Services

Revival services and/or any other church meetings which will be considered essential in the promotion of the objectives of the Church shall be placed on the church calendar.

Occasional religious meetings may be scheduled by the pastor at his discretion or by vote of the Church.

Section 3. Regular Business Meeting

Regular business meetings shall be held quarterly on the second Sunday of the first month of each quarter (January, April, July, October). Financial statements will be prepared for disbursement to the congregation every month. It is to be understood that any church members may make a motion from the floor on any issue.

Section 4. Special Business Meetings

A special meeting of the Church shall be called by the pastor when requested by the elders, deacons, trustees, or a standing committee, the object of the meeting being stated in a notice which shall be read at all public services on the Sunday preceding such meeting.
A special meeting of the Church shall be called by the clerk upon the written application of any five members, the object of the meeting being stated in a notice which shall be read at all public services on the Sunday preceding such meeting.

Section 5. Quorum

Ten percent of active roll of the membership shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 6. Parliamentary Rules

Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, is the authority for parliamentary rules of procedure for all business meeting of the Church.

Section 7. Congregational Responsibilities

The Church shall always decide the following in special or regular business meetings: call of the pastor; call of vocational and bivocational staff members; election of elders, deacons and general officers; approval and modification of the budget; the acquisition and disposition of real property; incurring any debt; and other matters as specified by the Bylaws.

All actions and decisions of the Church general officers, committees, and programs are subject to the congregation.

Article VIII. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year shall run January 1 through December 31.

Article IX. Amendments

Changes in these Bylaws may be made at any regular business meeting of the Church, provided such amendments shall have been presented publicly one week previous. Amendments to the Bylaws shall have a concurrence of a simple majority of the members present and voting.

Revision History

Date	Editor	Description
2017/07/09	David Sandifer	Updates passed in the July, 2017 regular business meeting. Nine ‘cleanup’ changes to bring bylaws and actual practices inline. 1. Use ‘Pastor Search Committee’ term. 2. Change treasurer’s report auditing to ‘when requested’. 3. Change Assistant Treasurer’s giving records distribution to at least annually. 4. Delete Historian position. 5. Change Sunday School Director election process. 6. Rewrite Church Training section. 7. Delete WMU section. 8. Remove “Sunday evening” worship service. 9. Change announcement of Special Business Meeting to ‘all’ public services on Sunday. Prior version can be found here.
2017/02/21	David Sandifer	Updates passed in the July, 2016 regular business meeting. Replaced Constitution Article III. Statement of Faith. Updated Constitution Article IV. Government, with name of MWBC. Added a paragraph to the bylaws, Section 3. Elders, 1) Purpose, defining their interpretive authority for the church.
2011/10/09	Jim Benson	Updates passed in the October, 2011 regular business meeting. This update revises the overall leadership organization to explicitly show how Elders rule at Emmanuel Baptist Church (elimination of the CMT) and modifies the servant role of Deacons. Scripture references were made into links to Bible Gateway. The unamended proposal can be found here. Prior version can be found here.
2011/04/05	Jim Benson	Updates passed in the July, 2010 regular business meeting. Updated ByLaws Article III, Section 3, Subsection 3, regarding deacon terms of service. Prior version can be found here.
2010/02/25	Jim Benson	Updates passed in the January, 2010 regular business meeting. Added item 9) to Subsection 2, Section 4 Church Ministry Team (CMT), regarding committee membership. Prior version can be found here.
2009/01/19	Jim Benson	Updates passed in the April, 2009 regular business meeting. Two changes were made in Article IV Committees and Coordinating Groups, Section 3 Nominating Committee, and a change in Article I Membership, Section 4 Termination. Prior version can be found here.
2009/01/23	Jim Benson	Updates passed in the January, 2009 regular business meeting. Under Article IV Committees and Coordinating Groups, Section 1 General Guidelines for Church Committees, numbered list item 8 was added to the list of guidelines. Prior version can be found here.
2008/10/12	Jim Benson	Updates passed in the October, 2008 regular business meeting. All references (just 1) to the Church Council were replaced with Church Ministry Team. Prior version can be found here.
2008/09/04	Jim Benson	Updates passed in the April, 2008 regular business meeting. The second bullet of the list under Article IV, section 4, subsection 2 was removed. Prior version can be found here.
2007/04/15	Jim Benson	Updates passed in the April 15th, 2007 regular business meeting. Prior version can be found here.
2007/02/02	Jim Benson	Formatting corrections recommended by David Sandifer to more accurately reflect the distinction between the Constitution, Preamble and By-Laws. Prior version can be found here.
2006/10/29	Jim Benson	Updates per recommendations presented by the Ad Hoc committee assigned to rewrite section 9. Prior version can be found here.
2005/08/01	Jim Benson	Fixed broken Table of Contents link.
2005/05/07	Jim Benson	Converted to HTML for distribution on the ebcrochester.org web site.

Constitution and Bylaws

Constitution and Bylaws of Emmanuel Baptist Church

Table of Contents